Sausage
$1.50per plate
Prep
5 min
Sausage · Ground Sausage
Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
Breakfast for dinner does not get cheaper or more comforting than sausage gravy over biscuits. One pound of ground sausage renders its fat, which becomes the base for a creamy, peppery gravy thickened with just flour and milk. Spoon it over warm biscuits and you have fed six for under a dollar a plate. It is rich, filling, and made almost entirely from pantry staples. This is the kind of stick-to-your-ribs dinner that costs next to nothing and disappears fast.
$0.97per plate
Estimated recipe total
$5.81 · serves 6
Cook
20 min
Total
25 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Bake the biscuits
Bake the biscuits according to the package or your recipe while you make the gravy, so everything is ready at once.
2
Brown the sausage
Cook the ground sausage in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles, until browned. Leave the rendered fat in the pan; it is the base of the gravy.
3
Make the roux
Add the butter, then sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir for a minute so it cooks into the fat. This roux thickens the gravy without any cream.
4
Add milk and simmer
Pour in the milk a splash at a time, stirring, and simmer until it thickens into a creamy gravy, a few minutes. Season with plenty of black pepper and salt, and spoon over the split biscuits.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Any ground sausage. Breakfast, Italian, or a spicy sausage all work. Spicy sausage gives the gravy a nice kick for no extra cost.
- Homemade drop biscuits. A quick batch of drop biscuits from flour, baking powder, butter, and milk is even cheaper than a can.
- Serve over toast or potatoes. No biscuits, the gravy is just as good over toast, hash browns, or mashed potatoes.
- Add a pinch of sage or red pepper. Either one deepens the sausage flavor for pennies.
3 Budget tips
- One pound of sausage makes enough gravy to feed six over biscuits, so a little meat goes a long way.
- The gravy is just the rendered sausage fat, flour, and milk, so it costs almost nothing beyond the sausage.
- Homemade drop biscuits are cheaper than a can and take only a few minutes to stir together.
- Breakfast-for-dinner leans on cheap staples like eggs, sausage, and flour, which keeps the whole meal low cost.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate the gravy in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It thickens in the fridge and loosens again when reheated.
Freezer
Sausage gravy freezes for up to 2 months, though the texture is best fresh. Whisk well when reheating to bring it back together.
Reheating
Reheat the gravy in a pan over low with a splash of milk, whisking, until smooth and hot. Warm or toast the biscuits fresh.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
390
Protein
13g
Fat
26g
Carbs
27g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I make sausage gravy thick and creamy?
Cook the flour into the sausage fat for a minute first, then add the milk gradually while stirring and simmer until it thickens. If it gets too thick, whisk in a splash more milk; too thin, let it simmer longer.
Can I make it without a can of biscuits?
Yes. Drop biscuits from flour, baking powder, butter, and milk are cheaper and quick, or serve the gravy over toast, potatoes, or hash browns instead.
What sausage is best for gravy?
Ground breakfast sausage is classic because it is well seasoned, but any ground sausage works. Spicy or sage sausage adds extra flavor to the gravy for no additional cost.
How is this under a dollar a plate?
The whole pan of gravy plus biscuits is about $5.81, feeding six. One pound of sausage flavors all of it, so the meat cost spreads thin.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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